Kurt Philip Behm

Close Hauled (+1)

Damn the nor’easter

hold the wheel steady

Waves from the Kraken

over the bow

Darkness ahead

charts plot the demon

Into the fury

—doubling down

 

(Dreamsleep: December, 2023)

 

 

One Ride

 

Chasing the

stoke

waves growing larger

 

Weekend

 warriors

still on the beach

 

Destiny

calling

mortality daring

 

Odds

go to hell

above twenty feet

 

The spray

to the

heavens

 

Dropping

into

the thunder

 

Darkness

envelops

one prayer to beseech

 

The sound

of a

monster

 

The

howl

of its fury

 

But nowhere

 on earth

—would I rather be

 

(California Surf: December, 2023)